Despite missing the penalty, Messi became the hero of victory, Argentina made a brilliant comeback from 0-2 and defeated Egypt, recorded 11th consecutive victory in the World Cup.

New Delhi . In the pre-quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026, defending champion Argentina gave a performance that football lovers will remember for a long time. In the round of 16 match played in Atlanta, Argentina defeated Egypt 3-2 and secured a place in the quarter-finals. At one time the team was 0-2 down and was on the verge of being out of the tournament, but by showing brilliant play in the last minutes, it converted the defeat into victory.

From the very beginning of the match, Egypt adopted an aggressive style and maintained constant pressure on Argentina’s defence. In the 15th minute of the first half, Yasir Ibrahim gave Egypt the lead by scoring a goal. After this, Argentina got a golden opportunity to equalize in the form of a penalty, but captain Lionel Messi could not convert this opportunity into a goal. Argentina kept trying until the end of the first half, but Egypt’s strong defense was successful in stopping every attack.

Egypt maintained its confidence in the second half also. In the 67th minute, Mostafa Zico scored the second goal and increased the team’s lead to 2-0. After this goal, it seemed that the biggest upset of the World Cup was going to happen and the current champion would be out of the tournament. The pressure on Argentina’s players was clearly visible, while Egypt was very close to victory.

However, the picture of the match completely changed in the last ten minutes. Lionel Messi, showing his experience and great skill, scored the first goal and gave hope to the team’s comeback. After this, Argentina continued to play aggressively and before the end of the stipulated time the score reached a tie of 2-2. With this goal of Messi, his tally of goals in the tournament reached eight and he once again became the leader in the race for the Golden Boot.

Argentina launched a decisive attack in stoppage time. Enzo Fernandez scored the third goal through a brilliant header to give the team a 3-2 lead. As soon as the final whistle was blown, there was a wave of joy among Argentina’s players and supporters. The team, which was heading towards defeat till a few minutes ago, completely changed the outcome of the match by showing extraordinary fighting spirit.

With this victory, Argentina recorded its 11th consecutive win in the World Cup and took another strong step towards its second consecutive World Cup title. The team also maintained its unbeaten campaign in the tournament. On the other hand, Egypt, despite a brilliant performance, lost the match in the last moments and their memorable journey came to an end.

Now Argentina’s eyes will be on the quarter-finals, where the team will try to carry forward its winning campaign. This match once again proved that in big tournaments, experience, patience and the spirit to fight till the last moment can change the outcome of any match. Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, gave the same message and registered its name in the most memorable comeback of the World Cup 2026.